


Cups of tea, baby turtles and pillow talk

by alphabetgirl



Category: EastEnders
Genre: Ben Mitchell Loves Callum "Halfway" Highway, Caring, Drunkenness, Fluff, Humor, Love, M/M, Pillow Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:34:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29399874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabetgirl/pseuds/alphabetgirl
Summary: Ben and Callum get back from a night out, Callum is still thirsty and clumsy, Lola and Phil are frustrated and a really cute conversation occurs.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 19
Kudos: 56





	Cups of tea, baby turtles and pillow talk

**Author's Note:**

> So I originally planned on doing a follow up to Cocktails, Cats and Broken Toes with Callum being the drunk one but it kind of evolved into Ballum having some cute pillow talk with Callum being a little bit tipsy. I'll probably write properly drunk Callum at a later date.

"Right, we'll have to go in quietly because everyone is asleep," Ben instructed softly as he unlocked the door to the Mitchell residence. 

"O.K. Quietly. ," Callum nodded seriously, entering the kitchen as Ben held the door open for him "Quietly. I'll be quiet".

And then proceeded to immediately bump into not one, but three of the kitchen chairs. Ben flinched as the chair legs scraped loudly across the kitchen floor, seeming incredibly noisy in the otherwise silent house. 

"Sorry," Callum whispered sheepishly, fidgeting on his feet. 

He looked that apologetic and sorry for himself that Ben couldn't help chuckling.

"Don't worry," he murmured, going up on tiptoes to press a kiss to the other man's forehead. 

"Cup of tea," Callum muttered to himself, crossing over to the kitchen counter, earning himself another chuckle. 

"What?" Callum asked, eying Ben.

"You.". 

"What about me?"

"It is just cute that you always have to have a cup of tea after a night out, no matter how drunk you are, even though you don't like it the rest of the time". 

"I'm not drunk now though," 

"No but you are not exactly sober either, Babe,". 

Callum shrugged and got two mugs out of the cupboard and Ben felt a jolt of panic go through him. In his current state, Callum trying to handle a kettle full of boiling water was a recipe for disaster. 

"Cal, I'll make these," he said quickly.

"I can manage," Callum said adamantly, turning the tap on and grabbing what he thought was the kettle. 

"First off, that's a colander, not the kettle. Secondly, I will be in charge of anything involving hot water," Ben replied firmly, gently hip bumping Callum out of the way and filling the kettle up. 

Callum grumbled to himself but conceded, stepping behind the shorter man and wrapping his arms around his waist. 

"Why don't you go and get ready for bed?" Ben suggested, turning his head to give him a chaste kiss. "I'll bring them up,". 

"O.K," Callum agreed, walking slightly steadily towards the staircase. 

The kettle had just finished boiling when Ben heard rather than saw his clumsy giraffe of a fiance trip on one of the steps. Rolling his eyes, he padded out of the kitchen into the hallway to be greeted by the sight of his future husband sprawled out on the stairs, showing his backside off quite spectacularly in his tight jeans.

"You O.K?" He asked, trying to hold in his laughter. 

"Yep. I'm not drunk," Callum insisted.

Ben snickered as he climbed up the first few steps, giving the other man a playful slap on the arse.

"I know you, Babe. You especially don't need to be drunk to fall up the bloody stairs," he crouched down and gently hauled the taller man back to his feet. 

"Although," he carried on as he gently guided Callum up the rest of the stairs without any further incident "Anyone who needs to constantly insist that they aren't drunk are definitely a bit tipsy at least,". 

"I'm not tipsy either," Callum protested.

"Whatever," they had reached the bedroom by now "Can I leave you alone to get ready for bed?". 

"Yes, you can"

"Let me rephrase that. Will you be safe if I leave you to get ready?"

Callum nodded and then looked around the room like he had lost something. 

"Where's my cup of tea gone?"

"It hasn't even been made yet, you muppet," Ben sniggered quietly as he headed back downstairs, feeling grateful that Lexi was spending the night at Billy's otherwise she would have definitely been wide awake by now. 

Callum was in bed by the time he arrived with the tea, the duvet pulled up right to his chin and a dopey smile on his face. 

"You look happy," Ben commented, handing him his mug and nuzzling his cheek.

"Yeah. I am," the older man agreed, sipping his tea and watching his fiance move around the room, putting the waste paper bin on Callum's side of the bed just in case and getting ready for bed himself.

One of the many, many things that Ben loved about Callum was how, when he was a bit drunk or just really overtired, the most random thoughts and questions popped into his head which he couldn't help giving voice too. Like now.

"Does laying an egg hurt?" 

Ben paused in unfastening the buttons on his shirt, thrown by the question for a second before responding. 

"I don't know, Babe. I've never laid an egg before,".

"Oh.". 

"Does that come as a surprise?" he asked, slipping out of his shirt putting it in the laundry basket, knowing that his future husband would whinge if he just dumped it on the floor. 

Callum giggled. "No,". 

"Where did that question come from anyway?" Ben asked curiously, sitting down on the edge of the bed and brushing a lock of dark brown hair back off the other man's forehead. 

"Me and Lexi were watching a programme about turtles earlier," Callum explained, tugging on Ben's arm to get him to slide in under the duvet next to him. "And they showed footage of a female turtle giving birth with a nest cam. You could see the eggs coming out like canon balls, and I just wondered if it hurts,". 

"Ah," Ben said in understanding, snuggling up to the other man's chest and tangling their legs together. "Well, If I ever meet an English or Portugese speaking turtle, I'll be sure to ask them for you,". 

"You always take me seriously when I'm like this," Callum hummed contentedly, hands roaming Ben's back. "Stu would always just tell me to stop talking rubbish and go to bed,". 

"Well, he plainly doesn't have the brain power to keep up and discuss these matters," Ben said, kissing his fiance's collar bone.

"I hope that it doesn't hurt," Callum said seriously, going back to the matter of laying eggs. "Because some species can lay over 100 eggs in one go,". 

"Over one hundred kids, eh?" Ben replied, smiling softly because of course Callum would be worried about the animals' welfare.

"And then, when they hatch, they use the moonlight to guide them back to sea," 

"Awww, that's cute,". 

"Mmmhmm, but sometimes they go the wrong way because they see man made lights and mistake it for moonlight. So volunteers go out at night and turn them around to help them get to the water," He paused "We could do that on honeymoon,". 

Ben winced.

"Callum, Babe, you know that I am an animal lover, but I want our honeymoon to be about us. I don't want our night time activities to be chasing baby turtles around on a beach,". 

"Yeah," Callum agreed. "Silly idea,".

"Not completely silly. Once we are married, we can go on as many baby turtle rescuing holidays as you want," Ben replied. 

"Promise?" Callum asked hopefully.

"Cross my heart,". 

Callum placed a gentle kiss to the other man's lips.

"Besides, there is not even any turtles in..."

Callum's expression had turned from sleepy and affectionate to one of interest and excitement. 

"Go on," he prompted. 

"No,". 

"No what?" 

"No, nice try but I am not going to blurt out where I have booked our honeymoon. That is a surprise and it is going to stay a surprise until we get to the airport,". 

Callum pouted. 

Ben sighed and closed his eyes.

"That look works on my mum and Lola. It does not work on me,". 

"It does when you've got your eyes open," Callum said. 

"Doesn't," Ben mumbled although both men knew that it was a lie. 

"Ben," Callum cooed softly"Open your eyes," 

"No," Ben said adamantly, screwing his eyelids shut tighter as the older man tickled his forefinger along his brow bone. "Because you are just going to use that look on me,". 

"I won't, I promise,". 

Ben cautiously cracked his eyes open and received a big cheery grin in return.

"Guys, you know I love you both but I'd love you so much more if you were asleep right now," Lola appeared in the doorway. 

"Crap, sorry," Ben said guiltily.

"Lo, do you know where he is taking me on honeymoon?"

"No, he won't tell me. He thinks that I'll blab," Lola sniffed. 

"I know that you'll blab," Ben scoffed. 

"So I can't guarantee that it will be romantic...," Lola carried on. 

"It will be romantic!" Ben cried indignantly "I told my mum and Lexi and they were both very impressed,".

"Lexi knows!?" Lola exclaimed.

"Yep," Ben replied smugly, popping the P. "But it is no good asking her. She'll never spill Daddy's secrets,". 

"Well, that's true," Lola agreed begrudgingly. 

"I'm sure it will be somewhere amazing and romantic," Callum said confidently, pecking Ben's cheek. "I'm sorry I tried to get you to tell me. We'll leave it as a surprise,". 

Just then, Phil banged on the wall from the next room. 

"Neither of you will be going anywhere if you don't go to sleep five minutes ago because you will be buried in the backyard,"

The three of them tittered sheepishly. 

"We'd best do as he says," Lola said softly, leaving their room and scurrying down the hall. 

"Do you think your dad knows if laying an egg hurts?" Callum asked Ben.

"Maybe," Ben answered "That's probably a question best left for tomorrow morning though," he stroked his fiance's arm gently.

"O.K,"

"You look knackered," Ben carried on, tucking the duvet tighter around Callum who looked at him through half closed eyes. "We should probably get some sleep,". 

"Best idea you've had in bloody ages," Phil shouted from the next room. 

Ben smirked. 

"Sweet dreams, Cal. Love you,".

"Love you too," Cal mumbled "There's a turtle over there..."

"Eh?!"

"I'm gonna go ask it..."

Callum didn't finish his sentence, and looking at his face, Ben saw that he had already fallen asleep. 

"Unbelievable," Ben muttered affectionately, closing his eyes and preparing to join his boyfriend in sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> There you go. I hope that you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think!


End file.
